Unique Feature of Horticulture in Asia and Its Global Impact

Asia has 60% of the world population and only about 34.5% of the world arable land. However, Asians traditionally consume very large amount of horticultural produce and depend heavily on vegetables for the sources of horticultural food crop. The vegetable production in Asia is highly intensive and multiple and successive cropping are routinely practiced. Concomitant with the rapid economic growth in many east Asian countries, the demands for high-quality horticultural crop have been drastically increased among many Asians and their interest in high-quality products, outstanding cultivars, machinery and equipment, production technology has been sharply increased in recent years. It is therefore believed that establishing and maintaining closer and regular relations among scientists and societies could provide an excellent momentum for promotion of horticulture on a global basis and both the ISHS and the ASHS could play decisive roles for this kind of promotion.